Inception is a 2010 American science fiction action film written, produced and directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, and Cillian Murphy. The film, essentially a caper movie, centers on Dom Cobb, a thief who enters the dreams of others to obtain information that is otherwise inaccessible. His abilities have cost him coveted things, but a second chance allows the situation to be turned around. However, when an unforeseen enemy predicts Cobb’s every move, Cobb and his team of specialists are forced to plant an idea in a target’s subconscious. The film’s title refers to the task of planting an idea rather than stealing one, a concept that Cobb is less acquainted with.

Development of Inception began roughly ten years before the film’s actual release when Nolan wrote an 80-page treatment about dream-stealers. After presenting the idea to Warner Bros. in 2001, he felt that he needed to have more experience with large scale films. Therefore, Nolan opted to work on Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. He spent six months polishing up the film’s script before Warner Bros. purchased it in February 2009. Filming began in Tokyo on June 19, 2009 and finished in Canada in late November of the same year.

Inception was officially budgeted at $160 million, a cost which was split between Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures. Nolan’s reputation and success with The Dark Knight helped secure the film $100 million in advertising expenditure. Inception premiered in London on July 13, 2010 and was released in both conventional and IMAX screens, on July 16, 2010. The film was met with positive reviews, and grossed over $21 million on its opening day, with an opening weekend gross of $62.7 million.